Dropped Cable TV
- Thread starter anya
- Start date
Wow! I've been seriously considering dropping mine as well. And your post has re-inspired me to do so. So eerie that you mentioned it, since it's been weighing on my mind the last few days.
My Sony Bravia TV is WiFi connected so I already get lots of cool Internet features, including a web browser. Or I can connect my laptop to the TV. It isn't WiDi so have to use a wired connection if I want to access all of my computer files, or get a wireless display receiver to mirror the computer to the TV. But, I can use PIP if I want to use the computer at the same time. You might want to see if your TV does that as well. I also have a WiFi Sony Blu-Ray with all the Internet features of my TV and more. Got these before Roku became popular.
Time Warner Cable is now requiring Digital Transport Adapters on all TV's and they are junk. Poorly made and you have to use their remote which makes having Control for HDMI (remote sharing features) sort of pointless. I installed them two days ago and the pictures on all my TV's are worse, reception is really bad, and they render some of my Sony TV functions, like TV Guide and the info banner useless, just to mention a few issues. There are many more problems. Plus TWC won't allow a user to purchase their own DTA and will charge for every adapter you need. That will increase my cable bill by another $120.00 per year if I use DTA's on all my TV's. I have TV's in 4 rooms now, but rarely use two of them.
So, yesterday, I threw together an antenna made from some binder clips, paper clips and an old CD case (see YouTube for various homemade antenna instructions), attached a 75 to 300 ohm matching transformer and hooked it up to my TV. Took about 10 min at a cost of $4.00 for the transformer. Had all the other parts already. This was my test unit to see what I could get.
OMG! It totally worked and pulled in 28 digital channels in high def that were within 12 miles. (I only got around 60 channels with cable.) Best picture quality that I've ever had. Of course these are only broadcast channels (goto www.TVFool.com to see what's available in your area) and some are not what I would ever watch, but I can stream all the other shows I really like from the internet, so I won't be missing much if anything. My little homemade antenna is somewhat fragile since I hastily put it together, so I may just invest in an attic or rooftop antenna, which I hope will pull in even more stations and be even more stable in reception.
I already have Amazon Prime for movies and TV episodes, plus I discovered VTuner is included with my TV features, which is global Internet radio. There are tons of radio channels categorized by genre and country/language. One is old time radio that features 4 or 5 stations broadcasting some brilliant programs; music, mysteries, sci-fi from the 20's to the 40's, that I'm getting a kick out of.
I'll save nearly $960.00 a year if I cut the cord. Spirit says he would like me to spend some of that savings on more raw bones and car rides to the park. I think I will!
Thanks for posting and giving me the courage!
My Sony Bravia TV is WiFi connected so I already get lots of cool Internet features, including a web browser. Or I can connect my laptop to the TV. It isn't WiDi so have to use a wired connection if I want to access all of my computer files, or get a wireless display receiver to mirror the computer to the TV. But, I can use PIP if I want to use the computer at the same time. You might want to see if your TV does that as well. I also have a WiFi Sony Blu-Ray with all the Internet features of my TV and more. Got these before Roku became popular.
Time Warner Cable is now requiring Digital Transport Adapters on all TV's and they are junk. Poorly made and you have to use their remote which makes having Control for HDMI (remote sharing features) sort of pointless. I installed them two days ago and the pictures on all my TV's are worse, reception is really bad, and they render some of my Sony TV functions, like TV Guide and the info banner useless, just to mention a few issues. There are many more problems. Plus TWC won't allow a user to purchase their own DTA and will charge for every adapter you need. That will increase my cable bill by another $120.00 per year if I use DTA's on all my TV's. I have TV's in 4 rooms now, but rarely use two of them.
So, yesterday, I threw together an antenna made from some binder clips, paper clips and an old CD case (see YouTube for various homemade antenna instructions), attached a 75 to 300 ohm matching transformer and hooked it up to my TV. Took about 10 min at a cost of $4.00 for the transformer. Had all the other parts already. This was my test unit to see what I could get.
OMG! It totally worked and pulled in 28 digital channels in high def that were within 12 miles. (I only got around 60 channels with cable.) Best picture quality that I've ever had. Of course these are only broadcast channels (goto www.TVFool.com to see what's available in your area) and some are not what I would ever watch, but I can stream all the other shows I really like from the internet, so I won't be missing much if anything. My little homemade antenna is somewhat fragile since I hastily put it together, so I may just invest in an attic or rooftop antenna, which I hope will pull in even more stations and be even more stable in reception.
I already have Amazon Prime for movies and TV episodes, plus I discovered VTuner is included with my TV features, which is global Internet radio. There are tons of radio channels categorized by genre and country/language. One is old time radio that features 4 or 5 stations broadcasting some brilliant programs; music, mysteries, sci-fi from the 20's to the 40's, that I'm getting a kick out of.
I'll save nearly $960.00 a year if I cut the cord. Spirit says he would like me to spend some of that savings on more raw bones and car rides to the park. I think I will!
Thanks for posting and giving me the courage!
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mudji
New member
When I moved, I chose not to have a television. I have high speed internet from Time Warner (which I would have anyway), and can watch whatever I want. Local tv stations stream their broadcasts, so I can watch the local news. I have an iPad I use when I am not at the computer monitor, which works great. I also have a bluetooth speaker I can use to have stereo while watching tv if I don't want to use the speaker in the device. Saving money, and not a slave to television. Most things I'd want to watch are streamed, and I just find other things that interest me as well.
Good luck cutting the cord. I found it pretty easy!
Good luck cutting the cord. I found it pretty easy!
Leonard and his bud Snuffles
Active member
I have two neighbors who dumped cable TV, and one even put a roof antenna back up, the other in the attic. Personally if I was living alone, I would dump Cable TV too. Not sure what the cost of Internet only would be. Here we have both Comcast and ATT U-Verse service. I know Comcast is a BUNCH faster than ATT, but I am a single user, so I am sure a slow speed would be OK.
I pay $60 /month to the cable company for Internet ONLY. A big reason why I haven't had a TV connected since 2007.
anya
New member
I have Time Warner Cables $14.99 Internet. Works great for streaming off the Roku stick. BUT, I can't surf the Internet from my computer and watch TV at the same time. I usually use my phone for social media while watching TV...that is running off my Verizon data plan. So, with tax and fees, my TWC bill should be about $17.00.
2newfs4now
New member
I've seriously been considering dropping bundled Comcast. It's ridiculous what they charge! I can watch almost anything on my computer that I watch on TV and I don't need two phones; my cell is enough for me.
Leonard and his bud Snuffles
Active member
BTW for those on Comcast, if you are a long term customer, you can call in and ask for the "Retention Line". My parents have been the local cable franchise company customer since the early 1970s, and they know that. So they have been giving us some of their promotional deals for many years. Yes we have a lot more in the premium channels than we need, and I surely don't need the Internet speed I have, and Mom is old fashion, and likes her land line. To get what we would need, the cost are higher if we went basic.
anya
New member
With TWC, I would always call, when my rates went up, and say "I'm calling to drop cable". With a click here and there, I always got a deal. This time I just took my box into the local TWC store and dropped it. BTW, got my bill yesterday. It was a -$10 and change. Guess I'll have to wait until next month to see what my bill actually is.
Jeannie
Super Moderator
I have Time Warner. I have the lowest TV package available. So low they had to come out and put a special block on our line. I have about the local channels and some of the news channels as well as many digital channels. I have the highest internet available since we do most things on the computer. I stream live TV using my mom's Comcast or our daughter's dish online account. I also watch movies from Amazon Prime. My bill per month is $72 with $64 being for the internet. That is OK for me because I take the internet part off as a business expense. I can do that since I have a business website, email as well as FB page. We get many customers through sharing of the photos we put on FB of the dogs playing. So all in all this is a good thing for me.
dreamchaser456
New member
I haven't had cable for TV since 2000! When I lived in the city we did have the internet since Cox had the franchise for the city. Garbage service, always going out (why we dropped the cable). Now that we live in the country we have Direct TV and Hughes (satellite) for internet. I might lose them if there is a really heavy rainstorm for a short while (less than 20 minutes at most). Cheap it isn't but we're too far away from everything for antenna's to work, have no cell service and land lines are spotty.
Well, I did it! Rigged up an antenna in the attic and dropped cable yesterday. I feel liberated some how.
Been watching some great programs through Amazon Prime and Sling TV, which is a new service that sends live TV programs to your TV via Internet.
Some good channels so far with Sling...ESPN, CNN, Disney, TNT, TBS, and nine others, and they are adding more soon. Got a free Fire TV stick for signing up. They also offer a free Roku stick or $50.00 of a Fire TV box or Roku Box.
Anyway, my Time Warner Cable Internet bill for March is now $28.80 and then it will be 34.00 per month for the standard Internet from then on.
So thanks for spurring me on! I haven't looked back...yet. LOL
Been watching some great programs through Amazon Prime and Sling TV, which is a new service that sends live TV programs to your TV via Internet.
Some good channels so far with Sling...ESPN, CNN, Disney, TNT, TBS, and nine others, and they are adding more soon. Got a free Fire TV stick for signing up. They also offer a free Roku stick or $50.00 of a Fire TV box or Roku Box.
Anyway, my Time Warner Cable Internet bill for March is now $28.80 and then it will be 34.00 per month for the standard Internet from then on.
So thanks for spurring me on! I haven't looked back...yet. LOL
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mrsnamsherf
Member
I don't have cable, but I still pay a bit for Comcast. My husband is a computer programmer and he needs it to be fast. Also we sell on eBay, so we are just doomed to pay a high Internet bill. 
So we have Netflix and Amazon Prime (though I haven't watched anything through amazon yet).
I have actually never had cable...even before I got married in 2000, I didn't have it b/c we lived in a house back in the woods and my parents wouldn't pay to have cable brought out. They weren't big tv watchers.
I love Netflix because I can watch whole seasons at once.
I hate waiting for one of those cliffhanger episodes to be resolved. 
I do sometimes wish I had TLC, Disney, and Animal Planet, but not enough to get cable. I'd probably waste too much time watching!
Marie
So we have Netflix and Amazon Prime (though I haven't watched anything through amazon yet).
I have actually never had cable...even before I got married in 2000, I didn't have it b/c we lived in a house back in the woods and my parents wouldn't pay to have cable brought out. They weren't big tv watchers.
I love Netflix because I can watch whole seasons at once.
I hate waiting for one of those cliffhanger episodes to be resolved. I do sometimes wish I had TLC, Disney, and Animal Planet, but not enough to get cable. I'd probably waste too much time watching! Marie
Though they don't advertise it (or do poorly), you can call Comcast and tell them you only want local channels. When I called to cancel cable I was ready to tell them to pound sand and they offered me local channels only for $10. It's probably $17 after all the taxes and what-not, but the picture quality is impeccable.
I was thrilled just to get the kids weened off of the garbage shown 24x7 on the Disney channel.
With a Roku and Plex, I am perfectly happy.
I was thrilled just to get the kids weened off of the garbage shown 24x7 on the Disney channel.
With a Roku and Plex, I am perfectly happy.
Yes, TWC is the same. They will sell you the local over-the-air broadcast channels as their Starter package for $20.00 a month. Those are the very same channels that you can get for free with an antenna.
Local broadcast stations have been, by law, required to broadcast in digital format since 2009. If you have an HDTV that receives ATSC (digital) signals, they come through clear as a bell (if they are/were filmed in HD. Don't confuse the term "digital" with "high definition") with just an antenna.
If your TV is only HD ready or older (can only receive NTSC analog signals), you would need a digital to analog adapter to receive the pictures using an antenna. The adapter costs around $25 to $50 dollars to buy, and it "adapts" those signals from digital (ATSC) back to analog (NTSC) so your older TV can display them.
What TWC does, is takes those free local broadcast digital signals, scrambles them, then charges you $2.50 a month (for each TV you have), on top of the $20.00 plus tax Starter package, for digital adapters that decode their signal at your end. (Kansas City prices, may be different elsewhere). At this time, you cannot purchase your own Digital Transport Adapter (DTA) that will descramble TWC's feed. But TWC does include, with their service, free apps for your devices (PC's, smart phones, tablets) if you enjoy watching TV on those.
Of course, there are other factors, such as how far you are from local stations, that influence the quality of your TV picture if you use an antenna, but if you have good Internet bandwidth you can add a Roku, Chromecast, or Fire TV stick or other devices, and get some great programs streamed to your TV. Newer TV's with Internet capability built in, already come with some apps that allow you to stream programs, movies and music to your TV. In most cases, you pay to use those apps.
Just figure out what you want to spend and decide what works best for you.
Local broadcast stations have been, by law, required to broadcast in digital format since 2009. If you have an HDTV that receives ATSC (digital) signals, they come through clear as a bell (if they are/were filmed in HD. Don't confuse the term "digital" with "high definition") with just an antenna.
If your TV is only HD ready or older (can only receive NTSC analog signals), you would need a digital to analog adapter to receive the pictures using an antenna. The adapter costs around $25 to $50 dollars to buy, and it "adapts" those signals from digital (ATSC) back to analog (NTSC) so your older TV can display them.
What TWC does, is takes those free local broadcast digital signals, scrambles them, then charges you $2.50 a month (for each TV you have), on top of the $20.00 plus tax Starter package, for digital adapters that decode their signal at your end. (Kansas City prices, may be different elsewhere). At this time, you cannot purchase your own Digital Transport Adapter (DTA) that will descramble TWC's feed. But TWC does include, with their service, free apps for your devices (PC's, smart phones, tablets) if you enjoy watching TV on those.
Of course, there are other factors, such as how far you are from local stations, that influence the quality of your TV picture if you use an antenna, but if you have good Internet bandwidth you can add a Roku, Chromecast, or Fire TV stick or other devices, and get some great programs streamed to your TV. Newer TV's with Internet capability built in, already come with some apps that allow you to stream programs, movies and music to your TV. In most cases, you pay to use those apps.
Just figure out what you want to spend and decide what works best for you.
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